ScubaSteve said:
I understand all of the concepts about space being curved, but I just don't see it being the logical explanation for the "shape" of the universe.
I don't understand what you find illogical about it. It isn't a sure thing, but the concept is sound. It isn't any more logical to suggest that the universe is flat. It may be more reasonable, given that there are inductive reasons for thinking as much, but I'd suggest that we don't need to form an opinion either way. Maybe it's flat, and maybe it's not.
pro2A said:
If the universe is finate then whats beyond it? Nothing is something. You can't have nothing. The empty space in the middle of your room is something, and so is whatever is beyond the universe. Even if the universe is a big infinite loop there is something outside that loop.
What would be outside of a curved universe that has 3 spatial dimensions, and which makes up the whole of everything; meaning there are no other spatial dimensions whether accessible or inaccessible to us? I would say that it's unclear to even say there is nothing outside of it, as there is no 'outside' to such a universe. The concept simply makes no sense within the framework provided. Incidentally, when people say that the universe is flat but finite, they mean only that there is a finite amount of matter. There would still be an infinite amount of space in such a case.
Also, if we say that there must be something outside of the curved universe, we should also have to say that there must be something outside of a flat universe. We're essentially saying that for some bizarre reason, there must be more than 3 spatial dimensions. Or, otherwise, that 3 dimensional space can't be curved if there isn't a 4 dimensional space for it to be curved in. I can think of no reason to assume as much, though.